Irish symbols

The symbols of Ireland are famous the world over as emblems of Irish heritage.

The best-known Irish symbols are a kind of visual shorthand for Ireland and Irish heritage.
Inevitably, they have been borrowed (did someone say hi-jacked?) by the marketeers and brand managers for the purpose of creating pots of gold,
but that doesn't mean every ounce of Irishness has been squeezed out of them in the process.

Far from it.
Irish people generally remain rather fond of their shamrocks and leprechauns et al, and proud that they have spread across the world as symbols of Ireland's culture and history.

Behind each of these emblems is a rich tradition.
Each one fits into Ireland's colourful tapestry in some way, typically through the blending of myth, reality and great stores of imagination!

The shamrock  probably the most recognised of the symbols of Ireland and perhaps the most loved.
The little three leafed plant has connections to St Patrick and Catholicism, and is a reminder of the country's green carpet.

St Patrick's Day

Irish symbols are a transportable way of displaying or alluding to Irish heritage.
And these days there's plenty of choice in how you choose to present it.
From the ubiquitous key-ring containing an evergreen shamrock to a full-blown Celtic Cross tattoo,
it seems these emblems of Ireland can adorn just about any place, or any thing, you choose.

Celtic giants

You only have to look at a tourist brochure or guide book to see how the Celtic or Irish cross is used as a simple devide to portray Ireland as an island of history, mystery and culture.
So, too, are the Celtic trinity symbols that so often adorn them.

The terms High Cross, Celtic Cross and Irish Cross tend to be used interchangeably but there is some distinction.
The High Cross refers to the ancient giants found across Ireland and lands settled by the Celts.

The Irish Cross, however, refers to the more modern representation of the High Cross. It is ubiquitious across the island, in graveyards, logos, tattoos...

The term Celtic Cross is vague. It can mean either.

Standing some 17.5 ft tall (5.4m), the Moone Cross is thought to date from the 8th century and is one of the best preserved High Crosses in Ireland.

Lush green and creamy yellow

A cow is a cow is a cow? Not when it produces really excellent golden butter.

Irish butter is naturally coloured, due to the beta-carotene in the lush green Irish grass consumed by the cows.

It has a higher fat content than most butters lending it a glorious richness, and making it an increasingly well-known symbol of Ireland's beautiful countryside.